At the moment I am supposed to be reading "Legal Rights to Land in the Early Chancery," by Edith Henderson for my English Paleography class, but focusing has become futile. Just like every other school day I finished my classes and then headed to my usual spot in the lobby of my Dad's building. Today, however, has been different than most days.
My Dad just happens to be the head of international travel here at the university, and so, the building who's lobby I so often utilize is also the Center for International Study. As one of the resources for students and other people who may wish to come, this building houses many speakers from all over the world. I have attended one myself - an ambassador from France - and quite enjoyed the experience. That was back when I was still a beginner with French, and I was so proud when I could raise my hand when the ambassador asked who in the room could speak French. I'm happy to say that had he decided to speak in his native language, I would have done very well if he were speaking today!
Funny enough, the speaker today was also a French-speaker. BUT, he wasn't French. He was Mongolian. From what I can tell from the poster over there he was talking about "The 25th Anniversary of Mongolia-U.S. relations." I caught a few little bits of what he was saying, but I wasn't paying that much attention. My attention was hopelessly grasped, however, when the speaker finished, and from the room came not the group of students I was expecting, but a few students and a lot of other Mongolian people! Suddenly the lobby was filled with them and they had literally surrounded one other girl and I who had chosen the best chairs in the room. That was probably over a half an hour ago, and they are still here! I love foreign people, and I am thoroughly enjoying listening to them speak their language. They are, however, making it impossible for me to read any of my homework!
So, let's take this international theme and add in some writing bits, just to make things even more fun! Like I said, I love international things, especially French things. I have greatly enjoyed using my reading and writing skills to understand and create things not only in English, but also in French. I feel like I have access to a whole other world that the rest of my family members and friends do not. Of course, many of them have access to even more worlds that are unlocked by other languages. It think that it is a beautiful thing to be a part of both of these worlds, and I try to incorporate things from French culture and language into what I write.
What about you? What do you think about when an author has quotes in another language in their book? Does it annoy you because you can't understand? Does it give you a fiery desire to learn the language solely so you could understand? If any of you have read the Hourglass Door Trilogy by Lisa Mangum, you may have experienced this feeling just as I did!
If you are bilingual, what language to you usually write in? Do you only write in your native language? If you write in more than one, why? For enjoyment? To expand your audience? To hide things from your siblings? I would love to hear about it!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The Vacuum of Time and Script Frenzy
OK, WOW, IT HAS BEEN WAY TOO LONG SINCE I'VE POSTED!
Sorry if that felt like I was yelling at you! Mostly, it is you who should be yelling at me! I've been neglecting you wonderful followers of mine, and any of you who are newcomers. If you are a newcomer, welcome! If you are a follower, welcome back! Sorry it has taken me so long to get back on here! See, the thing is, there's this thing that I like to call "the vacuum of time." All of us have experience it. We plan to do things, but time decides otherwise, and before we even realize it, all the time in the day has flown by, and we have no idea what we've done with it!
Unfortunately, this has been happening to me a lot lately. Only a short while ago I was gung-ho, all out ready to hit the world with my writing skills! Not so much as of late. I was steadily working on my fourth novel (which has quickly become my favorite), and I was proud of how I was keeping up on this blog!
So, thanks to the past little while of spending way too much time on my favorite French musicals and way too little time on my writing, I have not been progressing very much at all. BUT! The cool thing is, I've decided to pick myself up from the dusty old floor and get back up to the writing table! Hopefully if you have been lagging behind, you'll join me in this! We all need each other's support, and that is what the writing community is here for! At least, that's how I see it. So, here we go, back into the wild fray that is the world of writing! I hope you'll join me. I look forward to having you along for the ride!
If you are needing something to get your inner writer back into shape, you should try Script Frenzy, one of the programs offered by the Office of Letters and Light. It begins April 1, and you have the entire month of April to write yourself the 100-page script you have always dreamed of! Ok, so maybe you haven't always dreamed of writing a script. I, for one, had never considered it at all until this year. And you know what? I have no idea what to write, or even how to write a great script, but I'm going to do it anyway! I'll also be dealing with finals and graduation, but hey, when do we ever not have something going on. If I can write a 50,00 word novel in a month, three years in a row, then surely I can handle this!
Maybe this will be a crash-and-burn sort of thing. Maybe not. Either way, it will be fun, and I hope you'll give it a try. Remember, I'll be trying it out, right along side you! If you have been a good little writer and have been keeping up with things, I say to you BRAVO! For the rest of us, here's to getting back on our chargers and riding triumphantly into the future!
Sorry if that felt like I was yelling at you! Mostly, it is you who should be yelling at me! I've been neglecting you wonderful followers of mine, and any of you who are newcomers. If you are a newcomer, welcome! If you are a follower, welcome back! Sorry it has taken me so long to get back on here! See, the thing is, there's this thing that I like to call "the vacuum of time." All of us have experience it. We plan to do things, but time decides otherwise, and before we even realize it, all the time in the day has flown by, and we have no idea what we've done with it!
Unfortunately, this has been happening to me a lot lately. Only a short while ago I was gung-ho, all out ready to hit the world with my writing skills! Not so much as of late. I was steadily working on my fourth novel (which has quickly become my favorite), and I was proud of how I was keeping up on this blog!
So, thanks to the past little while of spending way too much time on my favorite French musicals and way too little time on my writing, I have not been progressing very much at all. BUT! The cool thing is, I've decided to pick myself up from the dusty old floor and get back up to the writing table! Hopefully if you have been lagging behind, you'll join me in this! We all need each other's support, and that is what the writing community is here for! At least, that's how I see it. So, here we go, back into the wild fray that is the world of writing! I hope you'll join me. I look forward to having you along for the ride!
If you are needing something to get your inner writer back into shape, you should try Script Frenzy, one of the programs offered by the Office of Letters and Light. It begins April 1, and you have the entire month of April to write yourself the 100-page script you have always dreamed of! Ok, so maybe you haven't always dreamed of writing a script. I, for one, had never considered it at all until this year. And you know what? I have no idea what to write, or even how to write a great script, but I'm going to do it anyway! I'll also be dealing with finals and graduation, but hey, when do we ever not have something going on. If I can write a 50,00 word novel in a month, three years in a row, then surely I can handle this!
Maybe this will be a crash-and-burn sort of thing. Maybe not. Either way, it will be fun, and I hope you'll give it a try. Remember, I'll be trying it out, right along side you! If you have been a good little writer and have been keeping up with things, I say to you BRAVO! For the rest of us, here's to getting back on our chargers and riding triumphantly into the future!
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